Life's too short
by You'reMyRightArm2
Summary: Carla's illness reveal brings her and Peter close again. Can they maintain a friendship or is there still feelings beneath the surface?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I used to have an account on here (You'reMyRightArm) but have lost access to it. This fanfic is linked to the going ons in the show. Carla is in hospital after collapsing.**

'Knock knock' Carla looked up from the magazine she'd already read 100 times over to see Peter stood at the door of her hospital room. 'Can I come in?'

'Yeah sure, so long as your pint throwing girlfriend isn't in tow' she joked, chucking the magazine down on the bed tray. Though she truly did hope Toyah wasn't going to walk in behind him. The last thing she needed right now was another row with a Battersby

'No' Peter chuckled slightly 'she's back at the rovers pulling pints as opposed to chucking them. I'm really sorry about all that Carla, it's the last thing you needed what with all this going on' he gestured to the machines carla was hooked up to.

'Ahh it's water under the bridge. Can't blame the girl for being paranoid, she is dating you after all' she teased, knowing Peter was aware of her witty humour by now

He tutted in jest and shook his head slightly before sitting down into the seat beside Carla's bed, his heart breaking slightly at the sight of her. Her usual olive skin looked pale and her eyes looked tired. Despite it all though, she still looked just as beautiful as she always had done

Carla could feel Peter's gaze was on her 'You'll have to excuse the state of me.. for reasons beyond me, the nurses don't see make up as a priority' she joked, running her hands through her hair in an attempt to make herself look half decent

'Don't be silly. You look bea..' Peter suddenly discontinued his compliment, realising that calling her 'beautiful' may not come across well given their history. 'You look fine' he corrected, awkwardly looking towards the floor as he shuffled his feet apart

A soft smile formed across Carla's face, knowing what he'd originally gone to say. 'So then Barlow, what brings you here?'

Peter wasn't 100% sure whether visiting Carla would be a good idea. Something inside him broke when he'd found out what was wrong with her though. Knowing the woman he was once so in love with was now facing the idea of losing her life. He needed to see her, see how she was doing. 'Well this seems to be one of our favourite places.. couldn't not add another hospital room chat to our collection' he joked, thinking back to all the times either him or Carla had been in a hospital bed with the other stood at their side

'Well it'd have been rude not to' Carla smiled, also remembering back to their many hospital visits in the past

'So, this may be a stupid question but.. how're you doing?' Peter asked, adjusting himself in the chair and turning his body so he was facing Carla completely

'I'm okay. It's a weird feeling' Carla sighed, looking around the room as she spoke. 'Your body just giving up on you and there being nothing you can do about it. You know how much I hate relying on people as it is, let alone when you're relying on them to give you one of their flamin' organs'

Peter's gaze was fixed on Carla. He hated seeing her look so hopeless. 'Yeah but people care about you Carla. So many people have relied on you in the past. It's about time you let someone help you out. Ya know, if I wasn't a raging alcoholic, I'd give you one of mine in a heart beat. It'd be the least I owed you'

Carla rolled her eyes 'You owe me nothing Peter. The past has been and gone. If there is one thing this illness has taught me, it's that life's too short. Too short to sit dwelling on the bad times and regretting the past'

Peter looked down awkwardly, fiddling with his hands 'Well I'll never stop being sorry, I hope you know that' Peter reached down for the white carrier bag he'd taken in with him. 'I erm, I brought you something'

Carla's brows furrowed as she pulled herself more upright in her bed 'you ain't got someone's kidney in that bag have ya?' She quipped, making Peter chuckle

'No, no. I wish I did though. I was going to bring some flowers but my dad told me they'd stopped letting people do that. Then I erm.. I remembered this' Peter pulled out a white teddy bear from the bag, turning it to face Carla as he nervously awaited her reaction

Carla couldn't control the tears that had arisen in her eyes. She swallowed the lump that had cushioned itself in her throat and reached out for the teddy. A smile forming on her face. 'I thought I'd lost this' Carla couldn't hide the happiness in her voice as she stroked the fluff on the bear's head, brining it up to her face and breathing in it's scent. It was the bear she'd got when she found out her and Peter were having a baby. It was the first thing she'd brought for their little girl; sadly, it turned out to be the only thing she'd been able to buy her

'I found it in a box of my things from the flat a while back. I wasn't sure if you'd appreciate it but I thought it could be like a good luck charm y'know. I thought it might bring comfort knowing in some ways, our little girl was with you, watching over you' Peter spoke with sadness, talking about the daughter they could've shared together

Carla couldn't help but well up at the thoughtfulness of Peter. That's one of the things she'd always loved most about him. 'Thank you. So much' Carla spoke, still stroking the bears head 'do you ever imagine what she'd be like now?' She asked cautiously, her gaze still on the bear she was holding

Peter smiled as he thought about it, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket 'Of course I do, every day. Every time I pass a little girl in the street or walk past the children's clothes section in a shop I think of her. Imagine what kind of things she have liked wearing and what kind of personality she'd have had. She'd be 4 this year and I bet she'd be a right little madam already'

Carla chuckled, imagining her little girl would have been a smaller version of her. She looked over at Peter to see him lost in thought, looking down into his wallet 'what you got there?' She questioned, leaning towards him

Peter turned his wallet to face Carla, revealing the scan picture of their baby placed in the clear pocket of his wallet. The only picture they had of their daughter. 'I used to have a picture of Simon there but then I figured, I see him everyday. We didn't even get to meet our little girl' Peter's voice was full of sadness as he spoke and Carla was completely drawn in, fully understanding his pain. 'I just wanted to have something there with me at all times so that In some way or another, she was with me everyday. Even if it's not in the way we'd have hoped'

A single tear rolled down Carla's face as she leaned over and grabbed her purse from the bed tray, undoing it to reveal the exact same picture placed inside the pocket of her purse too. 'I guess she'll always be with the both of us' she spoke, hugging the bear close to her chest and nestling her face into it whilst intensely staring at the picture in her wallet, stroking it with the thumb of the hand she was holding her purse in. This was the first time her and Peter had properly spoken about their baby without there being any hatred towards him. No blame. Just a mutual love and grief for their little girl. Carla's thoughts were interrupted by Peter handing her a tissue

'Here. Don't want you drowning poor bear there' he joked, momentarily stroking her hand with his thumb as she took the tissue from him. Although he already knew Carla had sobbed into the bear many a times when they had lost the baby

Carla wiped her face with the tissue before looking towards Peter 'hey.. I really hope yours and Toyah's baby will bring you happiness. You've been given another chance in life. Make sure you make the most of it'

Peter felt saddened at the tone of Carla's voice 'And you're going to get another chance too. A new kidney. A chance to continue living. You're already speaking like it's over Carla. Like you've given up'

Carla lightly shook her head 'I've not given up.. it's just, I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst in situations like this. The amount of times I've got my hopes up in the past about things and every time, I've been let down. I hope with every fibre of my being that this time will be different'

'It will be. You will be..' Peter was interrupted as Carla began violently coughing, unable to catch her breath. He shot up, grabbing the plastic cup of water that was beside him and pressing it up to Carla's lips. Holding it there as she sipped it slowly, trying to regain her composure. His mind shot back to when the positions were different. When he was lying in a hospital bed, thinking it was the end and Carla was there, assisting him in drinking his cup of water. 'You okay?' He asked as Carla gently guided his hand away with her own

'Yes..thank you. It's just my breathing. It's a right bitch' Carla let out a small yawn, placing her hand over her mouth to try and cover it 'Sorry. You're not boring me, I promise. I just get exhausted so easily. Even breathing seems such an effort nowadays' she sighed, tilting her head back in annoyance as it hit the pillow propped behind her

'Hey it's alright. I'll leave you to get your rest. You're going to need it for when you're back on top form, strutting down that street in your 5 inch heels' He joked as Carla smiled at the comment 'Listen Carla, it's really good having you back' he shuffled awkwardly in his seat, playing with his hands 'I know it's not down to the best circumstances but all I ever hoped for when I was in Portsmouth was that I'd see you on the street again one day and we'd be able to be mutual'

Carla smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear 'I hoped I'd see you again too. It's nice to see you happy and settled. Just you stay away from them babysitters' she joked as he laughed back, shaking his head at her humour

'Right well, I best shoot off then. Let you get your beauty sleep' Peter stood up from the chair, beginning to walk off before Carla spoke

'Thank you for coming, Peter. And for bringing this' she raised the bear in the air slightly 'I think it's just what I needed' Peter's lips tugged upwards into a smile as he walked back over to Carla's bed, placing his hand over the back of her head and pulling it towards his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Months ago, Carla would've rejected this move. Told him to back off. Today though, she allowed it to happen. Closing her eyes and letting out a small sigh of contentment that she'd finally made peace with the man she'd both loved and hated for so long

'Take care of yourself Carla. Don't you go giving them nurses any hassle' he teased as his eyes met hers and they gently smiled at one another, their gaze not breaking

'Oh don't worry.. it's the fit doctors who have to watch out' she smirked as Peter let out a small laugh, walking towards the door

'Bye Carla' he spoke one last time, turning to face her before he slipped out the door and walked off into the corridor

'Bye Peter' Carla sighed, looking down at the teddy and placing a kiss on it's head, just like peter had done to her seconds ago


	2. Chapter 2

'I am so glad to be home.. well, your home. If my kidney wasn't going to kill me, boredom certainly was' Carla spoke, slumping down onto Roy's sofa. The transplant had all gone well so far and now she'd just been given instructions to relax, take it easy and hope that her body didn't reject the kidney Aidan had so kindly gifted her with

'This is equally as much your home as it is mine' Roy replied, placing Carla's bags down on the dining chair. 'A florist delivered these to you, I've put them in some water' Roy pointed to the bouquet of flowers placed in the middle of the dining table

'Who are they from?' Carla questioned, glancing over at the bouquet; though she already knew the answer. White lilies with an array of pink flowers, the exact same bunch Peter had purchased for her when they were having their affair 6 years ago

'It appears they're from a mystery buyer..this is all they came with' Roy shuffled over to where she was sat and handed her the card that had nothing but a simple 'X' written on it. Carla smiled though, touched by Peter's thoughtful gesture. There was always the small chance that they wasn't from him, however it seemed far too coincidental for them to be from anyone else. Besides, he'd mentioned that he was going to bring her some the other day when he visited her

'Ah, they're probably from our 'chelle. She's a sucker for lilies' Carla lied. She didn't like lying to Roy but didn't want to expose Peter's anonymity when clearly he'd wanted it to remain a private gesture

'Ahh, well they are marvellous flowers..Hayley liked lilies too' Roy looked over at Carla who gave him a sympathetic smile 'I shall make you a drink of water to take to bed with you' he quickly changed the subject, reaching into one of the cupboards for a glass as Carla watched him, smiling to herself at his sweet nature

* * *

Peter rolled himself over, looking at what time was lit up on the alarm clock; 1:42am. He hadn't been able to sleep since coming to bed. Everyone in the pub was discussing Carla all night. Speaking about how her operation went and informing one another that she had been discharged this evening. Ever since, he'd not been able to get her off his mind. He needed to make sure she was okay. He turned his head slightly, making sure Toyah was still asleep before gently getting up, grabbing his phone from the bedside table and exiting the bedroom as quietly as possible so he didn't disturb her. He snuck half way down the stairs before taking a seat on one of them. He scrolled down through his contacts before he reached Carla's name. He wasn't sure if she even still had the same number but it was worth a shot anyway. After putting it off for a bit, he began typing a message.. 'Hey you.. hope you're doing okay. I'm thinking of you. P' He paused for a moment, wondering wether putting a kiss on the end was appropriate or not. Eventually, he decided to just go for it. They were once married after all. His finger hovered for a while before he took the plunge and hit 'send'. He looked back behind him, ensuring that no one had awoken and silently followed him down. Then he wasn't sure why, but he did it. He deleted the message from his phone. Actually, he did know why he did it. The last thing he wanted was for Toyah to stumble across it and get jealous. It was the last thing Carla needed at the moment. It was just a simple message from one friend to the other; from one very concerned friend.

* * *

Carla woke to the sound of pans clashing about downstairs in the cafe. She grabbed her phone, looking to see that it was 10:30am. She must've needed the sleep. God knows why though, sleep was the only thing she seemed to do whilst she was in hospital. That, and flirt with all the hot doctors. Before placing her phone back down, she noticed the notification telling her she had a text. An uncontrollable smile fell on her face as she read it. She didn't know whether it warranted a reply or not but she worried Peter may think she was blanking him if she didn't message back, so she began typing 'I'll get there. Thank you though.. and thank you for the flowers. They're still just as beautiful as they were the first them round! X' Carla also deliberated about signing it off with a kiss, however he'd put one so she gathered he'd be okay with it. She put her phone back down before glancing over and smiling as her gaze fell upon her dressing table where she'd placed the bear Peter had brought back to her when she was in hospital. It felt weird having Peter consume her thoughts again. She'd managed to put him to the back of her mind when in Devon. It was nice though, no longer feeling so much hatred and angst towards him. After all, Life's too short.

Peter smiled with relief as he opened the message Carla had sent him. Relief because she'd not been angry he'd messaged her and relief because she'd actually replied too. He was also glad of the fact that she'd recognised the flowers were from him. He'd remembered how much she'd loved them before and wanted to send her a subtle gift that wouldn't get people talking and making stupid assumptions

* * *

Peter was engrossed in conversation with Toyah and a few of the regulars when he caught her in the corner of his eye, walking in through the door followed by the rest of the Connor's. Looking untouched by the illness that was consuming her. 'I'll get them in' Johnny announced to the group as they reached the bar

'No, please, allow me. The least I can do for Aidan is buy him an orange juice' Carla smiled as Johnny shrugged in acceptance, following the rest of the group as they huddled into a booth

Toyah quickly made a bee line for Carla, wanting to ensure she served her as apposed to Peter. 'Hey Carla.. how're you doing?' She asked cautiously. A strong sense of tension still remaining between them

'Yeah.. I'm good thanks. Should I have worn me rain mac or am I going to avoid a soaking today?' She teased, making light of an awkward situation

'Yeah, again, I'm really sorry for that. Tell you what, the first rounds on us' she offered, as Carla looked taken aback slightly

'Well. Thank you very much.. I'll never turn down a free drink' Carla grinned before listing off the drinks she had to order, ensuring both hers and Aidan's were just soft drinks. As Toyah walked off to prepare them, Carla caught eye contact with Peter who was leant against the door frame leading into the back room. He offered her a gentle smile before mouthing 'hey' to her, wanting to ensure that she realised he wasn't being rude by not talking to her. He just didn't want to go upsetting Toyah. Carla smiled in reply before raising her hand and giving the tiniest of waves, ensuring it went unnoticed by everyone other than Peter

Toyah handed Carla her drinks before going to join the rest of her family in the booth, Roy also being sat amongst them

'How does she go through kidney failure and still maintain such glamour?' Toyah sighed, resting her head against Peter's shoulder as they both looked on, watching the Connor's drinks celebration going on in front of them

'Right, I'd like to propose a small toast' Johnny spoke up, grabbing the attention of the pub as Carla, Aidan and Kate all shook their heads, being all too aware of how much Johnny loved a speech. 'It's been a tough couple of weeks for this family but, we've all come out stronger than ever. Our tough little fighter Carla, who now has a new kidney and my very brave son Aidan who gave Carla the greatest gift of all by trying to save her life, have both made me an incredibly proud father. Fingers crossed this kidney doesn't let us down now and both of you recover fully. Can't have you both on orange juice forever can we?' He joked before raising his glass in the air 'to Carla, Aidan, and the connor kidney' everyone followed suit, repeating what he said before clanging their glasses together

* * *

Carla walked out into the cold air, inhaling a deep breath before she noticed Peter stood, puffing on his cigarette leant up against the smoking hut 'Hey you' he spoke, addressing her in the same way he had in his text message 'not taken up smoking have ya?'

'Oh no. I've got a new kidney to be looking after now. Got to protect it at all costs' she stated, taking a seat inside the hut 'Just came out for some fresh air really.

And to escape the pity party going on in there' she spoke truthfully, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against the wall

Peter walked over and took a seat beside her, still smoking his cigarette 'not sure a smoking hut's the best place for fresh air' he joked before turning the conversation serious again 'people aren't pitying you though Carla, they're just concerned.. you're going through something pretty tough'

'I know. I don't want to sound like I'm being ungrateful either, it's just awkward y'know. Most of the people in there have either hated my guts at one point or have probably wished me dead. I just don't like the thought of people feeling sorry for me' Carla sighed, looking up at the grey sky above them as she spoke

'well, people change Carla and people move on. I think you'll find that I still remain as public enemy number one to most of the people in that pub' he reasoned as he stumped his cigarette out into the ashtray before placing It down on the table and leaning back against the wall like Carla was 'I know you don't like people knowing your business and feeling sorry for you though. But as you well know, they'll all forget about it tomorrow and they'll be back to seeing you as the ice queen. I say milk it whilst you can, not everyday you have people chucking free drinks at ya. Unless you get into another brawl with Toyah, that is' he joked as Carla laughed at his comment, turning her head to the side to look at him

'Best not tell her about my flowers then' she joked as Peter widened his eyes in agreement and smiled, reciprocating her eye contact 'honestly though, thank you for them. I'm surprised you remembered the bunch'

'How could I not? Don't think I've ever seen anyone more grateful for a bunch of flowers' Peter chuckled, remembering back to the 'special thanks' she'd given him a few days after he'd brought them for her

Carla rolled her eyes in amusement 'Well. I'm not feeling quite that grateful this time round' she joked, playfully nudging Peter's arm with her own for being cheeky and bringing up their previous encounters

Peter laughed in response, before noticing Carla shivering slightly in the cold wind 'Hey you best get back in to your pity party missus.. you've got goosebumps' he pointed out, concern lacing his voice as he raised his hand and gently ran his forefinger up and down her exposed arm for a brief second. Carla could swear that more goosebumps appeared as she felt Peter's touch against her skin and as their eyes met again, she quickly stood, worried he may notice 'mmm well I hope they've got the party games out. We could play pin the kidney on Carla' she joked as Peter chuckled at her sarcasm

He watched as she walked off. Before she walked out of sight, he called out 'Carla' she stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at him stood there awkwardly with his hands in his trouser pockets 'you're looking good, by the way' he smiled as she tilted her head to the side, returning the smile to him as a thank you for his compliment before spinning on the heel or her boot and walking back into the rovers. Leaving Peter stood smiling outside, wanting to make sure he waited a reasonable amount of time before walking back in behind Carla


	3. Chapter 3

'See you later' Carla called back to Roy as she walked out of the cafe, closing the door behind her and strutting across the street ready to go hang out in the bistro for a couple of hours; that place had pretty much become her second home since returning. She had no job to attend so she may as well go spend time with Michelle. As Carla walked past 'Preston's Petals', she noticed the young girl out of the corner of her eye. The troubled teen who looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Bethany Platt. She debated whether it was a good idea to approach her given her history with Nick, but felt that she may be able to offer her some advice after hearing all that she'd been through. She quickly changed the direction of her walk, instead crossing the street and taking a seat next to Bethany on the bus stop bench

'Didn't think the bus life would be for you' Bethany spoke as she became aware of Carla's presense

'Don't be daft. My life's not become that tragic just yet' Carla joked, even when she'd had her driving ban, buses were never an option for her

'Oh and I suppose mine has?' Bethany quipped back, completely misreading Carla's comment

'Well, given the things you've had to deal with lately; yes' Carla replied truthfully, looking towards Bethany as she bowed her head, occupying herself by fiddling with the bracelet placed around her wrist

'I don't need you feeling sorry for me as well' Bethany spoke with annoyance lacing her tone, tired of people constantly pitying her

'Oh, I don't' Carla shook her head 'I've been in a similar place to you y'know. I was abused pretty badly by someone I trusted. Someone I thought loved me, would never want to hurt me. Certainly not in that way anyway' Carla spoke with sadness in her voice, remembering back to her ordeal with Frank

Although Bethany remained with her head down, she averted her eyes upwards and away from her bracelet to instead look at Carla as she spoke, realising that finally she had someone who was actually able to relate to her 'Sorry..' Bethany muttered. 'I'm just tired of people thinking I'm not strong enough. Telling me how I should be coping'

Carla laughed slightly in agreement. Completely understanding where Bethany was coming from. Admittedly, she hadn't been through as much as Bethany had at her age. But by 17, Carla also felt like she was way beyond her years. Having to fend for herself as her mum wasn't capable and her dad was nowhere to be seen. Bethany reminded her of her former self in so many ways. Young, troubled and trying to cope with everything on her own. 'That's the difficult part. Technically, you're still just a kid. But in here..' Carla tapped her own forehead '..You're dealing with things most adults wouldn't know how to cope with. You've had to grow up way quicker than most girls your age. Trust me, I've been there. And the hardest thing about it all is that everyone around you still treats you like a child' Beth nodded slightly as Carla continued 'They don't mean to do it though; they just care about ya. Something that growing up, I wasn't lucky enough to have' Carla spoke truthfully as Bethany offered her a sympathetic smile

'I know how lucky I am. My family have been amazing' Bethany admitted, pausing for a while before speaking up again 'I just keep pushing everyone away, it seems to be the thing I'm best at lately'

'Does that include Beth Tinker's young lad?' Carla questioned, having noticed him and Bethany arguing in the cafe on a few occassions. The love he had for her being evident

'Yeah, Craig. He's the sweetest most supportive person and all I seem to do is push him away' Bethany opened up, feeling comfortable with Carla 'We seem to constantly argue..I just don't think he understands me.. I don't think he understands any of it..' Bethany returned to fiddling with her bracelet. It felt weird for her being able to open up the way she was, she'd not really felt comfortable to do it with anyone else she knew. As she finished speaking, Carla's attention was averted as Peter turned the corner, walking away from the taxi rank and towards The Rovers. They offered each other a small smile as he walked past her and Bethany. He would've stopped and spoken to her had she not looked deep in conversation with the young girl

Carla watched Peter as he walked away, making sure he was out of ear shot before continuing her conversation with Bethany 'He wouldn't understand though. No body who hasn't been through it will. When I was going through all the stuff with Frank, I had someone who couldn't relate to what I was going through. Couldn't understand it. But he knew me' Carla spoke as she nodded her head towards Peter before he was out of sight so Bethany understood who she was referring to 'And I mean, he really knew me. Knew what I'd been through, knew all my weaknesses. Knew how to be there for me in the best way. And he remained there, loving and supporting me more than I knew possible. Loving me in a way I never thought someone would be able to after all that had happened' Carla spoke with fondness thinking back to the first year of her relationship with Peter 'He saved me. Helped build me back up. If Craig loves you in the way Peter loved me, which I'm sure he does, then treasure him. Accept his help.. let him in'

'Yeah but then Peter hurt you. He betrayed your trust' Bethany reasoned back, referring to Peter's affair with Tina

'He did, yeah' Carla nodded slightly 'But he'd helped build me back up to be so strong, that when he did hurt me, I was able to cope. Had he not been there in the first place during all the Frank stuff, I wouldn't have been able to deal with what he did in the way that I did' Carla spoke truthfully 'Besides, Craig is definitely not Peter' Carla chuckled at the thought of them being similar in any way. 'There's no guarantee that he won't hurt you but nothing in life comes with a long term guarantee. Majority of us have hurt someone we loved at some point' Carla knew Bethany would recognise that she was talking about the relationship she had shared with Nick

'I know you're right, as much as it pains me to admit. It's just scary, letting another person in. Trusting them' Bethany sighed as she looked towards Carla 'And as much as I don't like what you did to my Uncle Nick, I guess you're still alright.. You was a pretty cool ''auntie'' to have around for a while as well'

'See, I knew I always liked you' Carla smiled at Bethany's comment, appreciating the fact Bethany wasn't still holding a grudge over what she'd done to Nick 'And although I'm no longer your cool ''Auntie'', I'm always around to use as an agony aunt' She nudged Bethany slightly, causing her to smile 'We're similar in a lot of ways, me and you. You're much braver than me though' Carla stated as Bethany furrowed her brow in confusion 'Well, I'd certainly never have the confidence to dance half naked on a stage in front of a bunch of people. Good on ya' Carla shrugged. Although she knew Bethany was under age and didn't neccessarily agree with it herself, She actually understood Bethany's reasons and knew giving her a lecture like everyone else probably had done, wasn't going to help

Bethany laughed at Carla's comment, grateful for her understanding approach to her job

Carla glanced at her watch before looking up at the bus timetable 'And would you look at that. A whole councelling session and still no sign of a bus. That is why the bus life will never be for me. Far too unreliable' She reached into her bag, pulling a £10 note out of her purse 'Get yourself a taxi love, it'll be so much quicker' she grabbed Bethany's hand, prising it open and shoveling the note into her palm before closing her fingers around it

'Oh, no Carla.. I' Bethany tried to speak, appreciating but not wanting to accept Carla's kind gesture

Carla interupted her before she could get her words out though 'I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. If you don't want to use it for a taxi, use it towards a treat for Craig. He's a good lad, don't let him go. _Life's too short_ to worry about getting hurt. Just take a risk.. you won't regret it' Carla smiled as she stood up and began to walk off

'Thanks Carla' Bethany called after her, causing Carla to turn back around 'And I'm sorry by the way.. about your.. ya'know' Bethany spoke sympathetically, gesturing to her own stomach area as she wasn't not sure exactly what to call Carla's illness

'Hey' Carla's eyes widened and she raised a finger, pointing it towards Bethany 'Don't go feeling sorry for me. Remember, me and you don't do pity' Carla joked, pointing back and forth between herself and Bethany 'If you ever want another agony aunt session, you'll probably find me in the bistro..drowning myself in coffee' Carla spoke one last time as she walked away, leaving Bethany smiling, reflecting on the deep coversation she'd just shared with Carla

* * *

Carla sipped down on her second coffee, watching Michelle as she served customers. She chuckled to herself as someone queried Michelle on where a dish had come from, remember back to her conversation with Sally Webster when she had taken up waitressing for Nick. Her response of 'The Kitchen' was much more sarcastic and unprofessional than Michelle's had been; her best friend actually managing to anwer the question correctly and sensibly

'Sitting on your own, laughing into a coffee is never a good sign' She jumped as she noticed Peter stood beside her at the bar, glaring at him slightly before replying

'Neither's coming to the competition for lunch when you've got your own pub' She replied sarcastically, sipping on her coffee again as Peter chuckled at her comment

'Ahh, true that. I hold my head in shame as I've come to pinch some of the competitions stock' Peter replied, propping himself up against the bar as Michelle approached him

'Oh yeah, what you after?' She questioned, having heard him speaking to Carla

'Limes. Norris is kicking off about not having one in his drink. I've tried Dev's but he's all out too. Lime's must be in high demand' He shrugged as Michelle rolled her eyes in jest

'I'll go grab ya some' She replied, walking off into the kitchen, leaving the door swinging behind her

'A manager of a pub and you've run out of limes. Just awful. You'll be forgetting to order alcohol next' Carla playfully insulted Peter

'Me, forget about alcohol? For some reason, that doesn't sound very much like me now, does it?' he joked, referring to his problem with alcohol, knowing Carla would be able to see the funny side. 'We serve great coffee's in The Rover's ya'know, if you ever fancy a change' Peter nodded his head towards the coffee Carla was holding in her hands

'Mmm. The bar staff's company and conversation just isn't as great though. Not quite up to scratch' Carla joked, sipping down on her drink, using the cup to hide the smirk on her face as Peter pulled his hand up to his chest, pretending to be in pain as he grabbed it, mocking offence at her comment. 'Best not tell 'Chelle you're trying to poach the competitions most loyal customer, otherwise you'll have a very angry Norris sat sulking over his limeless drink'

Peter chuckled at Carla's remark 'Point taken. I'll work on hiring better bar staff; Liz can be pretty full on' he joked, knowing all to well that she was referring to him with her comment

Michelle walked back through with a small box she'd filled up with limes 'There you go. 20 limes should tide Norris over for a bit' She smiled, handing them over to Peter

'Thanks Michelle. I owe you one.. well 20. You know the drill' he spoke, both The Rovers and The Bistro having a joint understanding that they'd always be happy to lend one another stock if the other ran out of anything, so long as it was returned when they'd restocked 'See you around.. once I've sorted out that terrible staffing issue of mine' Peter joked towards Carla before walking out of the bistro

'What's up with his staff?' Michelle questioned, confused by his comment

'Oooh nothing. He's just messing about' Carla replied, not being bothered to relay the conversation back

'You guys seem to be getting on quite well again' Michelle pushed, having heard about Peter's visit to the hospital 'Don't think you coming in from The Rovers back yard shortly followed by him went unnoticed by me' She smirked, remembering back to the drinks celebration the Connor's had had the other day. She'd not wanted to mention it in front of the others at the time but was happy to press Carla for information on it now

Carla tutted at her observation 'I went out for a break and _coincidentally_ , emphasis on the word ' _coincidentally_ ', he was out there too. It is his pub after all' Carla proudly stated, knowing she was telling the truth. 'Don't panic. We didn't have a quick fumble up against the bins in the ginnel' Carla joked, remembering back to a time when ironically, she had made a similar comment to Peter during one of their secret meetings in the ginnel 'we've both moved on, it's a good thing'

'Fair enough' Michelle laughed, holding her hands in the air 'It is a good thing. If you two were still at logger heads, I'd have refused to give him them limes'

'Ooooh very petty..I love it. Such a true friend' Carla grinned at Michelle before she was called away by someone else who needed serving

* * *

'Where did you get to?' Toyah questioned as Peter walked through the doors of the Rovers

'Limes' he replied, holding the box he had in his hands forward 'We ran out so Michelle gave me some at the bistro' he spoke, placing the box down under the bar

'We haven't ran out. There's a few on the kitchen side out there' Toyah stated, suspicious of his real reasons for popping out

'Oh, is there? I must've missed them' Peter quickly dismissed Toyah. He hadn't missed them at all. He'd spotted them earlier on but had just wanted to find an excuse to quickly check on Carla. He hadn't see her for a few days and had grown worried. He knew she'd be at the bistro and he also knew that she'd probably be okay, but it didn't stop him from caring

'And that's all you went out for.. limes?' Toyah pressed, it being evident that she wasn't believing his story

'Yes love, limes. Why are you getting so worked up over a bit of fruit?' He questioned, growing frustrated at Toyah going on at him

'Umm excuse me Mr, have you forgotten about your hissy fit over melon the other day?' Toyah shot back 'I'm not concerned about the stupid limes. I'm concerned over the real reason you rushed out so quick without even saying anything when we had plenty of the things outback anyway!'

'You're looking way too much into it, love. Next time I'll remember to check high and low before going out to fetch more limes, okay?' He reasoned, placing a quick kiss on her lips. She nodded, still unsure about whether he was being truthful or not but knowing full well that she was getting no where with him

* * *

'Are you sure you can handle being in here? I haven't eliminated the problem yet' he gestured his head toward Liz as he approached Carla at the bar of The Rovers, joking about their earlier conversation

'About that. I brought you a present to make up for it' Carla smiled, reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out a lime, tossing it in the air as Peter caught it, chuckling as he realised what it was

'Michelle feeling generous was she?' He replied, tossing it lightly from hand to hand

'Nope. I got it from Dev's. It was amongst a whole crate full of 'em. Been there all day apparently' Carla stated, making Peter aware that she'd caught him out over the white lie he'd told Michelle earlier

'Ahh.. rumbled' Peter muttered as he looked down, his cheeks turning a light shade of crimson pink

'You do know you don't have to make up silly excuses to see me Peter' Carla spoke softly, knowing that was the real reason he'd popped into the bistro

'Sorry, it was a pretty lime.. I mean, lame excuse' Carla shook her head at Peter's humour, he always did crack the worst jokes 'but I do.. I do have to make excuses' Peter stated as Carla cottoned on to the fact that Toyah was the reason he felt he needed to

'Ahhh okay. Got it. Where is she tonight?' Carla asked, having noticed she wasn't anywhere to be seen in the pub. Usually she couldn't breathe in this place without it going noticed by Toyah

'She's at a meet up with her vegan friends' Peter explained, walking closer to the bar, still playing with the lime in his hands

'Ooooh, sounds.. exciting?' Carla was trying to make it sound appealing, but truthfully she couldn't think of anything worse 'but anyway, you don't need to worry and feel like you have to check up on me. I really don't want you lying to Toyah for my sake'

'I wouldn't lie to her if she didn't get so hett up about me and you. I know we've got a lot of history together but so have me and Leanne and she's fine with us and we live together!'

'It's different though, isn't it Peter.. Leanne's her sister. And if we're being honest, you haven't exactly got the best record for being honest and loyal to your partners' Carla spoke truthfully. Peter looked down, gently nodding his head, aware that she wasn't saying it to be offensive

'No more excuses and no more checking up on you.. I promise' Peter smiled 'So, what can I get you or did you just come in to chuck fruit at me?'

'I'll go for one of them great coffees you were boasting about earlier, see if they live up to the competition'

'You'll never go back to the bistro again, trust me' he joked, walking away to go and make her drink

* * *

Peter was just about to switch off the lights to the pub when he heard a knock on the front doors 'Peter.. it's Carla' he heard her calling out as he walked over to the doors, unlocking them and peering out

'Hey.. everything okay?' He questioned, concern lining his tone

'Yeah, nothing major. It's just, I think I left my scarf in here earlier' Carla explained

'Oh right, come in' Peter pulled the door open wider as Carla slipped in through the gap 'there it is..' Carla grinned, bending down under the table by the door and sweeping her scarf up from the floor

'Now who's making up stupid excuses 'aye' Peter teased

'Oh yeah, totally' Carla went along with it before a sudden urge came over her 'Although whilst I am here, can I quickly use the toilets? This kidney thing, it plays havoc with your bladder' she spoke quickly as Peter nodded, sensing her urgency as she scuttled into the toilets

'Thanks.. I don't think I'd have made it to Roy's' Carla spoke as she walked out of the toilets, noticing the glass of lemonade placed on the bar infront of her. A lime floating around the top of it

'Thought you might've had enough of coffee for today' Peter smiled as he stood behind the bar, pushing the glass towards her as he placed his own one down. Carla smiled, before propping herself up on the bar stool. One quick drink wouldn't hurt

'Check us out 'aye.. a pub full of booze, all to ourselves and we're sat here sipping lemonade. Such well behaved alcoholics' Carla joked as Peter laughed at her comment. Always having loved the brutal and inappropriate side of her humour

'I know. You're like a changed woman. Even turned to buses now, I see' he joked back, referring to him having spotted her at the bus stop earlier on. Being all too aware that Carla would never actually be seen dead on a bus

'Oh not you n'all. Here I was thinking you knew me' Carla shook her head, mocking disapproval at his comment as she used the straw in her drink to move the lime around her glass

'I do know you. Better than anyone else ever will' Peter spoke softly as he leaned forwards, crossing his arms and placing them down onto the bar so his face was more level with Carla's. Carla looked up from her drink. Both of their eyes locking onto one another's before being interrupted by the sound of Toyah walking through the door out back

'Peter, I'm home' she called out as she shut the door behind her, hanging her coat up on the hook and causing Peter and Carla to abruptly break eye contact

Carla shuffled awkwardly on the stool she was sat on, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and out of place. 'Out here love' Peter called back, pushing himself up so he was standing straight as apposed to leaning on the bar. He gave Carla a quick smile, trying to reassure her that she was okay being there

'Tell you what, Rachel doesn't half.. Oh, Hi Carla' Toyah suddenly stopped talking about her evening mid sentence as she noticed Carla sat at the bar

'Hi' Carla smiled awkwardly before looking towards Peter

'Carla um.. she left her scarf in here earlier' Peter tried to explain himself, knowing Toyah wouldnt be happy and probably wouldn't believe what he was telling her

'Where'd she lose it.. in a glass of lemonade?' She quipped back, using sarcasm to try and hide the fact she was annoyed. Carla looked down at her glass, now just stabbing at the lime with her straw. Wishing she was anywhere but here 'It's past licensing hours Peter. We shouldn't be serving drinks to people' Toyah stated, still trying to sound calm

'Yeah but I've not served it to her and it's not alcoholic.. It was just a friendly drink' Peter reasoned, not liking the fact he knew Carla was now feeling uncomfortable

'I best be getting back to Roy's anyway. Knowing what he's like, he's probably sat up with a herbal tea, worried sick' Carla piped up, sliding herself off the bar stool before grabbing her bag and walking towards the doors as Peter walked behind her, ready to let her out 'Night Toyah' she called behind her before slipping out of the doors. She turned round to face Peter once she was outside, she mouthed 'sorry' to him as he offered her a gentle smile in return before closing the doors behind her and re-locking them

'Really?' Toyah questioned, no longer worried how annoyed she sounded 'well at least now I know what the limes were for' she gestured towards the two glasses left on the bar before turning away and walking off

Peter closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. He understood why Toyah was feeling annoyed but at the same time, he couldn't pretend Carla didn't exhist. Couldn't just ignore her whilst she was going through kidney failure. He was still entitled to care. He just wished that in doing so, he wasn't upsetting Toyah. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as his phone buzzed in his pocket, he pulled it out and smiled as he read the text Carla had sent him

 **'Sorry that my scarf went and got you into trouble. Will stay out of the way and stick to the bistro's coffee for a while. Don't blab to anyone but I did prefer yours - you still seem to make it just the way I like it! Remember, don't go worrying about me. Focus on Toyah. And if you run out of limes again, Dev has plenty! x'**

He quickly texted back a reply..

 **'Well like I said, I know you better than anyone. That includes how you like your coffees.. Toyah will be fine. Look after yourself and I'll see you around x'**

Putting his phone back in his pocket, he sat on the stool Carla had been sat on minutes ago. Unknowingly mirroring her previous actions and playing with the straw of her drink whilst he prepared himself to go upstairs and face Toyah. He wished it wasn't all so complicated..


End file.
